Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE/IDEA Part B)
Type: Entitlement and Competitive
Who may apply for or access this funding?
Local Education Agencies, county boards of development disabilities (DD), and state-supported agencies may apply for both Special Education Part-B IDEA and ECSE flow-through funds. Educational Service Centers (ESCs) serving as fiscal agents for consolidated (multi-district) funding applications may also apply.
Description:
Those eligible can apply for Special Education Part B IDEA and ECSE flow-through funds by using the Comprehensive Continuous Improvement Plan (CCIP) web application. ESCE flow-through funds explicitly benefit pre-school age children (3-5 years) with disabilities and their families. The amount of and extent of services that can be funded is determined by the number children receiving services. Each district must evaluate these children with disabilities and write a services plan known as an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for each child which includes parental permissions, input and engagement that also includes an Individual Family Services Plan (IFSP) as well. Family and community engagement activities are an allowable use of these funds.
IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) Part B Funding
Type: Entitlement
Who may apply for or access this funding?
Local Education Agencies, county boards of development disabilities (DD), and state-supported agencies may apply for both Special Education Part-B IDEA and ECSE flow-through funds. Educational Service Centers (ESCs) serving as fiscal agents for consolidated (multi-district) funding applications may also apply.
Description:
IDEA Part-B provides funding for promising practices including to improve the academic outcomes for children with disabilities from birth through age 21. parent visits to exemplary programs and to schools with effective programs. Funds may be used to support activities that increase the meaningful engagement of families in the educational process by improving cooperation and communication between schools and the families of children with disabilities. Funding is available for the cost of a Parent Mentor position.
McKinney-Vento Homeless Education
Type: Competitive
Who may apply for or access this funding?
Local education agencies (LEA).
Description:
This grant is a competitive subgrant of Title I, Part A and provides homeless school-age children and youth, including preschoolers, to access to free, appropriate public education and services. The grant is further intended to remove barriers to the identification of, or the enrollment, the attendance, and success in school of children and youth experiencing homelessness. Allowable uses include the excess cost of transportation for students experiencing homelessness, for example.
School district/LEAs are asked to provide technical assistance to include strategies that enhance family engagement in activities that support academic achievement in and out of the school setting. Families and caregivers are also kept abreast of educational related opportunities and procedures available to their children on a continual basis to foster continued parental engagement.
Title I, Part A (Improving Basic Programs)
Type: Entitlement
Who may apply for or access this funding?
Local education agencies (LEA).
Description:
Title I, Part A (Improving Basic Programs) aims to ensure all children have access to a fair, equitable, and high-quality education to help close achievement gaps. States are required to develop accountability systems to identify and support underperforming schools, and LEAs must use Title I, Part A funds to improve student outcomes. Responsibilities for LEAs and schools include creating school improvement plans, reporting data, informing families about key issues, collaborating with child welfare agencies, supporting homeless and institutionalized children, allocating funds based on poverty, engaging families, supporting eligible private school students, and overseeing Title I activities in schools. Recipients must engage both families and educators in activities that foster strong family-school partnerships and family-school engagement. For additional non-regulatory guidance for Parent and Family Engagement under Title 1, Part A, review this document (revised January 2025).
For districts receiving more than $500,000, 1 percent of the grant must be used for family engagement (95 percent of that 1 percent must be made available for use by district school buildings.) Ohio also allocates Title I funds through a competitive subgrant, The School Quality Improvement Grant, designed to support school’s continuous improvement plans.
Title I, Part C (Education of Migratory Children)
Type: Entitlement
Who may apply for or access this funding?
Local education agencies (LEA).
Description:
Title I, Part C supports the Migrant Education Program (MEP), which provides educational services for migratory children ages 3-21. The goal is to help these children meet state academic standards and achieve high school graduation or complete a GED, despite the disruptions caused by frequent relocations. States with substantial numbers of migratory children receive funding to address the special educational needs of these students, offering support in overcoming language, cultural, and social barriers. Programs funded under Title I, Part C also include family literacy services and outreach to help migrant families access educational, health, nutritional, and social services. Additionally, the program requires schools to engage in consultation with parents through a parent advisory council (PAC), ensuring that families are involved in assessing and meeting the educational needs of their children. In Ohio, the Migrant Education Program is administered by several districts and service centers, focusing on identifying and serving the most at-risk migrant students.
Title I, Part D (Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk)
Type: Entitlement
Who may apply for or access this funding?
Local education agencies (LEA).
Description:
Title I, Part D provides funding to improve educational services for in local, tribal, and State institutions for neglected or delinquent children and youth. The program aims to ensure these youth have access to the same academic standards as their peers, support their transition from institutionalization to further education or employment, and prevent dropouts. Title I, Part D includes two subparts: Subpart 1 supports state agencies (SEAs) that provide educational continuity for children in state-run juvenile and adult correctional institutions, with funding allocated based on the number of students served. Subpart 2 supports local educational agencies (LEAs) serving children in local correctional facilities, focusing on dropout prevention and successful reintegration. The program emphasizes family involvement, requiring coordination with families to ensure the continued education of at-risk youth and their successful transition back to school or work.
Title II, Part A (Supporting Effective Instruction)
Type: Entitlement
Who may apply for or access this funding?
Local education agencies (LEA).
Description:
Title II, Part A funds are designed to enhance the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals, and school leaders to improve student achievement and provide greater access to effective educators for low-income and minority students. LEAs can use these funds for activities aligned with Title II’s goals, such as personalized professional development and support for educators in effectively engaging with families and communities, and addressing the diverse learning needs of all students, including those with disabilities, English learners, and gifted students. In Ohio, Title II funds must be prioritized for schools with the highest poverty rates and those identified as priority or focus schools.
Title III, Part A (Language Instruction for English Learners and Immigrant Children and Youth Subgrants
Type: Entitlement for eligible districts
Who may apply for or access this funding?
Local education agencies (LEA).
Description:
Title III funds support programs that enhance the English language proficiency and academic achievement of English learners (ELs) and immigrant students. These funds must be used to provide supplemental language and literacy instruction, effective professional development for teachers serving ELs, and activities that foster meaningful family and community engagement. Funding may be utilized for activities in partnerships with community-based organizations to provide comprehensive services that support and employer families, for example. Services must supplement, not replace, those required under federal civil rights laws. Districts also receive Title III Immigrant funds to support recent immigrant students under specific eligibility criteria. Funds are allocated based on EL enrollment in public and private schools within district boundaries, ensuring equitable services for all eligible students and educational personnel.
Title IV, Part A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment)
Type: Entitlement
Who may apply for or access this funding?
Local education agencies (LEA).
Description:
Title IV, Part A, the Student Support and Academic Enrichment program, provides funding to improve student academic achievement by enhancing access to a well-rounded education, promoting safe and healthy learning environments, and advancing the effective use of technology to support academic success and digital literacy. LEAs must consult with stakeholders to design and refine programs and prioritize funds for schools with the greatest needs, such as those serving high numbers of low-income students or identified for improvement under Title I. LEAs receiving $30,000 or more must allocate at least 20% of funds to support well-rounded education, 20% to safe and healthy students, and some funds to technology use, while capping technology infrastructure spending at 15%. Smaller allocations require meeting at least one of these priorities. All LEAs must develop objectives, evaluate program effectiveness, and report progress to the State Education Agency (SEA), with administrative costs limited to 2% of funds. Funds can be used to support family-school partnership initiatives, as such efforts align with the program’s goals of providing access to well-rounded education.
Title IV, 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC)
Type: Competitive
Who may apply for or access this funding?
State Education Agencies (SEAs) apply for this funding, which in turn manage subgrant competitions to eligible entities, including LEAs, community-based organization, Indian tribe or tribal organizations, another public or private entity, faith-based organizations, or a consortium of 2 or more of such entities.
Description:
Part of Title IV funding, the 21st Century Community Learning Center grants provides opportunities for students who come from economically disadvantage families and attend low-performing schools to receive academic supports. This funding aims to provide non-school hours academic enrichment opportunities for students that:
- Help students meet state and local academic standards in subjects such as reading and math.
- Provide students with a broad array of enrichment activities to complement their in-school learning.
- Offer literacy and other educational services to the families of participating children.
Title V, Part B (Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP)
Type: Entitlement for eligible districts
Who may apply for or access this funding?
Eligible rural, low-income LEAs.
Description:
Title V, Part B (REAP) provides supplemental funding to support rural school districts that may lack the capacity to compete for federal competitive grants or receive smaller allocations of federal entitlement funds. This funding is intended to help improve student academic performance through the implementation of effective federal programs. REAP includes two key initiatives: the Rural Low-Income School (RLIS) and the Small Rural School Achievement Program (SRSA). To qualify for REAP funding, districts must meet specific rural eligibility criteria, determined using National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) locale codes or Ohio’s alternative definition based on district typology. The Rural Low-Income School program, in particular, supports districts with a low-income percentage of 20% or higher and must use funds to supplement authorized activities under federal programs such as Title I, II, III, IV, and, notably, family involvement activities. This focus on family involvement ensures that these districts can enhance family engagement and support the academic success of students in rural communities.
How Can Schools Fund BCI Checks for Volunteers?
- Safety First: Many schools require volunteers to complete a Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) check.
- Some districts allocate “school safety” funds to cover costs.
- Certain local police departments provide free BCI checks for volunteers.
- Budget-limited districts may require volunteers to pay for their own check.
- Check Before You Volunteer: Funding availability varies—confirm with your district or organization to see if support is available! You may consider using funding for family-school partnership initiatives to cover the cost of BCI checks.
